muni wrote:Those who see my body as ordinary formand hear my voice as ordinary soundHave set out upon a mistaken path.Such people do not truly see me.

"According to Buddhism the best spiritual guide is the Buddha as the teacher, the Dharma as the path, and the Sangha as the best spiritual companions to befriend you upon the path. All schools of Buddhism take refuge in the Three Jewels as the external sources of refuge. As you go deeper on the path, the refuge becomes more internal. According to the hinayana and mahayana schools, refuge is always taken in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. As you enter vajrayana or secret mantra, while refuge is taken in the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha according to one's level of understanding and practice, refuge is also taken in the Lama (the spiritual teacher), the Yidam (meditational deity) and the Dakini (the female principle of enlightened awareness). As the understanding of this inner refuge deepens (according to maha yoga practice), refuge is then taken in one's channels, vital energies and essential fluids (according to the mother tantra anu yoga). As this process deepens or becomes more internal (according to ati yoga or the vehicle of the Great Perfection), refuge is taken directly in the mind in its essence, which is empty; in its nature, which is radiantly luminous; and in its quality, which is unobstructedly compassionate."

Moreover, from the 3rd Do-drüpchen Rinpoche: "Among the false tertons there are many who are harmonious with people, who seem to have disciplined conduct, and are fortunate and charismatic. At the same time, among the authentic tertons there are many who are loose in speech and behavior and who, without the least hesitation, get involved in many activities that people will condemn. In that way the tertons take many grave obstructions of the doctrine on themselves in the form of infamy and ill repute and they use them for the practice of taking every experience in the great equal taste. ..... One cannot judge tertons as inauthentic because of their imperfect and mercurial character, even to the slightest extent."

From Padmasambhava: "The hidden enlightened beings appear in uncertain form; the fool-deceivers are great hypocritical mimics of the dharmic practitioner. O people! Do not take gold and dross as equal."

"Hidden Teachings of Tibet" by Tulku Thondup, Wisdom Publications.

"My view is as vast as the sky, but my actions are finer than flour" ~ Padmasambhava ~

Gurus who act as guides on the path to liberation have six qualifications:They light the lamp of timeless awareness for those who wander in darkness.They bring those who wander along the brink of the abyss back to the authentic path.They rescue those foundering in the river with the ferry of supreme bliss.They lead those who have been imprisoned to a place of complete freedom.They pull those mired in the swamp of suffering onto the dry land of liberation.They sever the bonds of dualistic fixation with the sword of timeless awareness.Therefore, think of gurus as true buddhas.

By understanding everything you perceive from the perspective of the view, you are freed from the constraints of philosophical beliefs.By understanding that any and all mental activity is meditation, you are freed from arbitrary divisions between formal sessions and postmeditation activity.- Longchen Rabjam -

I think so when we have met a Guru, embodiment of wisdom and compassion, we can try to describe the Guru, but however hard we try and try, it is just not possible, its never like we want to say. If not possible to express, then possible we have met a master.

When I saw here how people call Namkhay Norbu Rinpoche ChNN, I thought first they were talking of a tv channel or a pc program so i went checking what that meant. My mistake, of course.